Athletes Who Win in Sport and Storytelling, Volume 4: Hikers
Welcome to the list of hikers who aren’t just going on leisurely strolls they're capturing content on every trail. These athletes aren’t just hiking for fun (or maybe they are); they’re capturing attention, building communities, and driving engagement.
And the next generation is loving it. According to Outside Online, TikTok trends are bringing new hikers to the trail. They spoke with Teaghan Skulszki, the social media manager at GearJunkie who explained: “Outdoor influencers are more like, ‘These are my Patagonia baggies that I wear every summer. This is the gear that I’m buying. Here is my favorite trail; hot girls leave no trace.’” These new hikers joining the trails don’t buy gear because a creator posted a pretty photo. They buy because that creator has put in the miles, tested the gear, and earned credibility through lived experience.
“Hot girl hiking” is about feeling good. Not every creator on this list fits that exact label, but they all leave you feeling inspired, confident, and ready to hit the trail after watching their content.
Performance alone doesn’t drive culture anymore
Being elite is still impressive but it’s no longer enough to earn attention.
The athletes who matter today are the ones who can:
- Do the thing at a high level
- Explain it in a way that resonates
- Show it in a way that stops the scroll
- Build trust through consistency and transparency
Popfly is spotlighting the athletes who can do both
To help brands adapt to this new era, we’re curating a series spotlighting athletes who can both perform at the highest level and create content that actually resonates, starting with runners.
These are the athletes who:
- Have proven expertise in their sport
- Create content that actually connects
- Influence buying decisions through trust, not hype
- Represent the future of creator‑driven sports marketing
1. Dr. Jenny
2. Sherise Gumbs
3. Jenelle
4. Pepper
5. Kiara Gramola
6. Jordan Kahana
7. Ryan Heck
8. Sarah and Myles Anderson
9. Meg and Patt Mitchell
10. Tiffany
11. Rita
12. Ophélie Jammaers
13. Naïs
14. Sarah and Dylan
15. Colin Yen
16. Kiera
17. Bernardo Belisario
18. Kate Pantier
19. Arielle Shipe
20. Alice Ford
21. Julia
22. Rylie
23. CeLynn Siemons & Brad Elliott
24. Logan Marie
25. Anastasia
26. Isabel and Sentry Kelly
27. Wandering With WIllow
28. Micah Giberson
29. Isa
30. Emily
What winning looks like in the creator‑athlete era
The future of sports marketing belongs to athletes who bring both sides of the equation: performance that earns respect and storytelling that earns attention. Brands that embrace this shift will build deeper loyalty and more durable growth than those still relying on old playbooks.
Every corner of the outdoor world is full of athletes who can do the thing and share the thing: climbers, fishers, runners, surfers, skiers and snowboarders. This series will spotlight them all. For brands ready to activate creators who actually move people, consider this your first trail.
Check out the first three volumes:
